The personal website of Bruce Collins

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

This is the gift giving season. I have never figured out how worship of the Lord by the Magi who gave the Lord gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, has somehow translated into the giving of gifts to each other as a way of worshiping the Lord. But give we will; and, hopefully, the economy will really start “purring” as a result of our unbridled spending for gifts that people don’t really need. And in many cases, they don’t really want them.

A good gift requires thought and is valuable. It may not cost much in terms of money but it will cost a lot in terms of the care and effort put into either making or buying just the right gift. The giver is usually happy with themselves unless the the person receiving the gift is obviously disappointed when they open the gift.

The best gift of all is the gift of eternal life that God gave by giving His one and only Son to the world. Yes, the Lord came as a baby, but He died on an old rugged cross at about 33 years of age—actually in the prime of life. Mankind does a lot of things that offend God and as a result we are separated from fellowship with God by our sin. God wasn’t happy with that, but He wasn’t surprised when sin came into the world either. He had a plan and the plan included the best gift of all—the gift of His one and only Son. His Son would bear the punishment that we deserved because of our sin. God could righteously punish sin and man could have fellowship with God restored. Mankind needed a Savior and God was willing to provide one. His Son was willing to be that Savior. But how many of us really appreciate the gift that God has given us.

The old testament Scriptures give us a glimpse of the value of this gift in the animal sacrifices that were offered to the Lord. None of these pleased the Lord unless they were offered by a person with a believing heart. But even when believers offered lambs and bulls and goats, they were only pictures of that which the Lord would be. He was the one sacrifice that really satisfied God.

The bulls and goats and lambs cost a lot of money. But the Lord has paid that price with His blood and now He offers eternal life freely to all who will believe. In Isaiah 55:1, Isaiah says, "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” How can we BUY without paying anything? I think God’s gift is worth paying everything for but can be had without paying anything. Sometimes we sing a hymn that says, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.” I like the hymn but it isn’t accurate because I don’t owe the Lord a thing. Jesus did pay it all and as a result my debt is totally paid.

There are going to be some disappointed givers on Christmas morning. They will have spent time and effort and money to get a gift that they thought someone would like only to find out that the gift is not appreciated and will either be re-gifted or returned to the store. What a let down that will be. But what must God think when we celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus and the most of those involved in the celebration do not really appreciate the gift? Some don’t think God, the giver, even exists and others make God out to be a God other than the God who has revealed Himself through creation, conscience and the Bible. I am quite sure that our not appreciating the gift might leave God angry, and I think I understand. He has offered the world a just and merciful Savior and many people don’t really open the gift by faith and appreciate it. They may say that they are Christians and they may go to church and they may do all of their good works, but many have not simply accepted the greatest gift of all—the gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. I personally will be thanking the Lord for this the greatest gift of all on Christmas day if the Lord spares us that long. I will also be thanking Him for that gift today.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

My point is that the Lord is offering us the gift of eternal life through His Son. If we do not appreciate that gift and/or reject it, surely it must hurt the Lord’s feelings just as it would ours if we gave someone a gift that they didn’t like.